How to Keep Your Followers on Twitter

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Once you get followers on Twitter, you probably want to keep them. There are a lot of things that you can do that can cause you to lose them. This article focuses on what to do keep them and not lose them.

Steps

How to Use DMs effectively (Direct Messages)

1. Think before you DM. Ask yourself the following questions:
   • Is this DM worth $0.10 for some one to receive if they have the option of getting their DMs sent to them via text message? If no, don’t send the DM.
   • Do I know this person well enough that I feel like they will respond or click through on the links? If no, don’t send the DM.
   • Am I popular enough that I can send this message and get away with that consequence free? If no, don’t send the DM.
   • Am I sending this past some one’s bed time where a text message alert may wake them up? If yes, don’t send the DM as Twitter can break those messages up in to two parts and really annoy them.
2. Make sure your DM doesn’t sound like spam.
3. Avoid making pitches to people via DM that are impersonal. If your pitch is impersonal and not specifically for the respondent, send it as a tweet.
4. Do not use services that allow you to auto DM. Auto DMs frequently cost you followers.
5. If you want to use auto DMs, wait to be followed instead of going out and getting lots of followers. Make sure that your page says that you send out DMs to people. It makes it more opt in than and consumer friendly.

How to entertain followers

1. Provide content that your followers are interested based on how you define yourself on your profile.
   • If you’re into social media, talk about social media.
   • If you’re into comics, talk about comics.
2. Interact with your followers.
   • Keep your follow list small enough that you can interact with a large percentage of them.
   • Reply to your followers questions.
   • Offer to help your followers who need help that you can provide.
3. Do ask questions that can generate a response and interaction with your followers.

How not to lose followers

1. Avoid controversial topics unless your follow list tends to subscribe to your controversial view.
   • Example: Do not bash Barack Obama or George Bush unless your follow list has that political bent.
   • Example: Do not ask followers to donate to a political cause unless you know they have similar leanings.
2. Avoid using slurs and inflammatory types of language that can be offensive.
3. Do not engage trolls who @ reply to you in order to get a rise out of you.
4. Avoid criticizing people.
5. Avoid insulting people.
6. Avoid sending auto DMs.
7. Do not radically change the content on Twitter after you’ve already established a twitter presence. People like consistency and followed you for a reason.

Related wikiHows

• How to Get a Lot of Followers on Twitter
• How to Use Twitter
• How to Use TweetDeck
• How to Be a Twitter Celebrity

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